Sneaking up on you
by miraline
Summary: A chance encounter with a stranger in a place far from home leads in interesting directions.
1. Chapter 1

_**A summary of sorts:**_

_**Who...**_

Bella: A slightly neurotic, twenty-something, self-employed, freelance photographer.

Edward: Successful hockey player who has won, not one but two Stanley cup trophies, and a silver medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Plus a bunch of other people that for now remain nameless.

_**Where..**_

Onboard m.s. Ocean Princess, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean

_**When..**_

Takes place during the last 24 hours of a rather lengthy cruise.

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**PROLOGUE**

04.00 AM, 01-17-2002

Onboard ms Ocean Princess / Pacific Deck / Suit 202

"Will this miserable night ever end?" I grumbled to myself as I woke up for what seemed like the millionth time in less than an hour.

The ship rolled constantly and sleeping comfortable was just about impossible. However this time, I don't think it was the thunderstorm or the rough sea that had awaken me…No, this time it was the goosebumps forming on my upper arms that had caused me to stir.

Shivering from cold I huddled deeper under my blanket and with my eyes still shut I instinctively moved closer towards the warmer side of the bed...

"Wait a minute!" My eyes snapped open when realization hit me. Deep down, underneath the blankets, there was another body … pressing against mine!!

"Ohhh, that's right... My bed companion…" For a moment there I had totally forgotten about him... It took me a few seconds to adjust to the dim darkness around me. "Was that his arm I felt wrapped around my waist?!" I squinted, struggling to make out the details of the almost naked form next to me.

He was lying facedown on his stomach. His head was resting in the curve of my shoulder, his eyes were closed and his mouth was slightly open. The sensation of his warm breath against my skin was causing the hair on my neck to stand on end. But his exhales were slow and rhythmic which hopefully meant that he was still in deep sleep.

"Please let there be a way out of this..." I silently prayed as I carefully began to wriggle myself out from underneath his arm. BAD MOVE! Suddenly, without any warning, the man beside me began to stir. "Oh crap, he's waking up!" I thought as panic flooded through me..

But my worry was soon put to rest… Sure, he did make a discontented sigh and he did move around a bit, but I think he was merely shifting his body into a more comfortable position because other than that he showed absolutely no sign of rousing anytime soon.

Which would have been a good thing… Only now my chances of getting out off there had been reduced to pretty much non-existing. Because instead of escaping his embrace, I had somehow ended up even more trapped underneath his warm solid body. We were now as intimately tangled as two people can be with out being...uhem.. you know…

*Sigh* Let's just say that a change of tactics was clearly called for... Truth be told, I would rather chew of my arm than risk waking him up…. So that left me with only one option -to be patient and wait…Wait for him to roll off me, hopefully by himself and hopefully still asleep... .

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and tried my best to block out his presents…. Out of sight, out of mind… But of course that was not an easy task as I lay there in the dark suit, listening to the mixture of his rhythmical breathing and the raging storm outside. I couldn't concentrate, instead I found my mind spinning in circles...

The absurdity of the situation was just too much… I mean this man, who was laying next to me, was practically a complete stranger so what the hell was I doing there… in his company…in his suit… in his bed?

Ohh, and I know what you all are thinking, but NO he is not some nameless guy I picked up in a bar. This has nothing to do with sex. He is NOT my lover and he never will be because I don't even like him. But still, he is the reason why I ended up in this mess… Ok, I can see I have some explaining to do…

So, where do I begin… I guess you could say I'm a girl on a mission, well that's how it all started anyway. But believe me, getting in his pants has never been part of the plan. Although he looks kind of cute when he's a sleep….

Err, let's not get side-tracked here… He may look sweet and innocent right now but when he is awake he's stuck up, self absorbed, loud and obnoxious. Basically, he's a diva and a flirt and definitely not my type. Actually DIVA is a description that is pretty close to the truth… It so happens that the man laying next to me is sort of famous, a real legend, he is Edward Cullen.

Okay, so if that name doesn't ring a bell his achievements as a hockey player surely ought to. I guess you're more likely to recognize him if I tell you that he is a two-time Stanley Cup champion as well as an Olympic silver medallist. I'm not completely sure what he is doing here in on this north Atlantic cruise ship though, but I guess it must have something to do with his train-...

What was that?! A sudden noise made me jump. I froze for a second but released my breath in relief when I realized where the sound came from. There it was again, another loud snore that sounded like a jet flying by... Apparently the medallist himself thought it was time to remind me of his presence. Geez, even in his sleep he has a need to be the absolute center of attention…

Now, where was I?? Oh yeah, Edward and his trophies… Hmm, I hope I don't strike as the type of girl that spend every waken hour obsessing over some famous athlete… Cuz I'm not. I'm not even into sports that much. The only reason I recognized him in the first place is because my forty-three-year-old mother has a good old fashioned fangirl crush on him. She has literally hundreds of pictures of him on her laptop, much to her husbands dismay.. This is all very normal for my mom, Renee, she has this intense addictive-compulsive personality and goes through hobbies (and crushes) like cheap socks. Poor Phil though, I bet he regrets introducing her to the great wide world of NHL hockey… Who can compete with a twenty something year old professional hockey player…

So yeah, thanks to my mother I know who Edward Cullen is and I must admit those pictures of hers don't do him justice. He is actually quite a looker. I mean if you like the type... He is average height, nicely built and definitely in good physical condition. I'm not sure about his age but he looks like he is in his mid twenties. Mother nature has blessed him with untidy golden, almost bronze colored hair, piercing green eyes and of course a killer smile. In my opinion it's that cheeky grin of his that gives him away as being both overly confident and cocky, but sure, he IS good looking there is no denying that.

And there is nothing wrong with his achievements either for that matter. It's not like I don't appreciate the hard work, skill and commitment these players put into each game. I guess it's more his attitude and the size of his ego I can't stand…. Not to mention all the other annoying crap that seems to come along with being a NHL player; instant stardom, endorsements deals, tv appearances… and so on….

He's got a wicked grin and an attitude to match, that's for sure. But, okay, maybe I'm being just a tad bit unfair here, considering I hardly know the guy...

Besides, none of this explains HOW and WHY I ended up in his bed in the first place. So I think I might need to rewind a little and start this story from the beginning.

Shifting uncomfortable in the bed I closed my eyes and let the memories of the previous day wash over me…

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. x . X . O . X . x . x . X . O . X . x . x . X . O . X . x .

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**Disclaimer**

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

I do not in any way profit from this story and that all creative rights to the Twilight characters belong to their original creator, Stephenie Meyer.

The plot line though is my own brainchild, so please don't steal it. I worked hard to come up with it! (Really, I did.)

No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization. Copyright 2010 by Miraline.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Collision with fate**

**-Collision with fate-**

**.  
**

And so the flashback begins…

So where do I start… hm.. I guess you could say my collision course with fate began earlier this morning (or should I say yesterday morning, since it must be way past midnight by now?!)... Anyway, it was bright and early and I had just snatched another round of pastries from the breakfast buffet onboard m.s Ocean Princess, the cruise ship plying the waters between Greenland, Newfoundland and New York.

After having stuffed myself to the max, I went to grab my camera bag in my suit and set out to explore the open deck areas of the ship. I wanted to use the daylight hours take some photos of the coastline and the horizon.

You see, I make my living as a photographer, specialized on portraits and wildlife, with hopes of one day becoming a war/conflict zone photographer. My business card reads: "Isabella Marie Swan. Photographer. Satisfaction Assured. "Your smile makes my job worthwhile." OK, a bit lame, I know… But I absolutely love my job, how many people can say that?!

I have my own studio at home and I work on freelance basis for various magazines and newspapers. It's a lot of hard work, the hours are insane and the pay is an insult, but I enjoy the freedom of being able to choose my own clients. Portraits are my main area of concentration, but I like to think that I'm competent enough to grab just about any photo job that comes my way. And I looove to travel… So every once in a while I try to find assignments that will take me to places I have never been to before.

And that's exactly how I ended up on this cruise ship in the first place. I had just spent a very cold week in Greenland shooting northern seabirds and was now on my way home. I would have preferred to travel by air but an air traffic controller's strike cancelled and delayed all flights out of the country. So this little "boat trip" seamed to be the only way for me to make it back home in time for my mothers 44th birthday, at the end of this week…

Ok, enough details already, let's get back to the story shall we?! So, like I said, I was walking down a narrow hallway on my way to the promenade deck. And I was, as usual, lost in thought. Without really paying attention to where I was going I rounded a corner and suddenly…. Bang! I smacked my head into something.

"Ouch!" Losing my balance I stumbled and fell backwards. Just as I was about to hit the ground, strong arms reached out and caught me.

"Ow! Watch where you're going, will ya'," my rescuer snapped at me as he steadied me back on my feet.

Still dazed, I looked up at the slightly irritated man in front of me. He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't really place him. He was a bit taller than me and he was wearing black shiny jeans, a tight fitting white sweater and sunglasses. I was just about to start apologizing for my clumsiness, when he removed his shades and revealed a very recognizable set of green eyes, framed by long lashes.

The apologies got stuck on my tongue and I felt how my jaw dropped. I blinked once, twice, three times… Nope, he was still there.

"This can't be who I think it is…" I thought confused. No, I decided. It can't be him, I mean what on earth would he be doing here? I was beginning to feel very stupid….He caught me staring and grinned at me.

"You can close your mouth now, you don't want to catch any flies," he chuckled, enjoying my confusion.

"Shit!" I felt my face turn crimson. I wanted badly to make a scathing retort but found myself at a loss for words. Hello? Where had my voice disappeared to? Not to mention my personality... I was suddenly (and very uncharacteristically) struck dumb.

While I was still struggling to come up with anything coherent to fling at him, he lost his patience and cut me off.

"You know what, that blush looks good on you, but before you start to stutter could you please take a step backward. You're crushing my foot!"

Groaning inwardly, I looked down only to notice that I was indeed standing on his sneaker-clad toes. "Sorry." I mumbled and quickly backed away.

"It's okay honey, don't sweat it... It was nice … uhm… running in to you and all but I gotta go. Next time watch your steps, OK?!" I can almost swear that he winked at me before he put his shades back on and began walking away. Before I realized what had just happened he was already half way down the hall heading for the stairs...laughing his head off….at ME!

Who does this guy think he is?… And more important what the hell was wrong with me?! Not only did I let him catch me staring at him like some obsessed teenybopper, I let him get away with making fun of me too.. ugh. It was not like me to get tongue-tied around guys like that, not even if they happen to be attractive or famous... Okay that's not true, I do get tongue-tied around guys all the time but usually not to the point where I space out like that.

At this point my thought process was interrupted by a commotion coming from the direction of the stairs. I was pretty sure I already knew what must have caused the sudden outburst of hysterical giggles, but I couldn't help looking over my shoulder anyway. Apparently a couple of girls, who looked to be about ten or eleven, had spotted my "rescuer" and was now eagerly trying to get his attention. I was almost expecting him to make a run for it but I must admit he took it rather well. To my surprise, he just kept on smiling and willingly posed for pictures with each of the girls.

Three autographs and a couple of friendly hugs later the guy was finally able to get going again, leaving a bunch of starstruck girls behind. Including me, I'm afraid.

"Hello, earth to Bella!!" I rolled my eyes as I snapped out of my trance-like state. Gosh, I'm almost as pathetic as my mother. The thought of my mom made me feel a sting of bad conscience. God, she worships that guy and would give anything to meet him!

For a moment there I played with the idea of running after him. You know, to mob him for an autograph or something, because that would have been such a perfect birthday gift for my mother, but in the end I decided against it. The very idea of facing him again made me cringe. I could already tell he was one of those guys who thought he was God's gift to the world, and I truly hated that type.

As I stood there and watched him disappear down the stairs, another much better idea began to take shape in my mind. I was pretty sure my mother would love to get her hands on some really juicy pictures of her favorite celebrity. Now, why the hell didn't I think of that sooner? After all, I am a photographer specialized in portraits, right?! All I had to do was to secretly snap a couple of photos of him.

A devious smile curved my lips. The champion himself would probably not be too happy if he knew what I was up to, but who cared about him? This could be fun. Things were definitely looking up…

AN:

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. x . X . O . X . x . x . X . O . X . x . x . X . O . X . x .

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**Disclaimer**

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

I do not in any way profit from this story and that all creative rights to the Twilight characters belong to their original creator, Stephenie Meyer.

The plot line though is my own brainchild, so please don't steal it. I worked hard to come up with it! (Really, I did.)

No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization. Copyright 2010 by Miraline.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**-Creeping up on you-**

Later...

Ok, so now you know about my little stalking mission. You probably think I'm nuts for doing something like that and the more I try to explain it, the more nuts I'll sound, but I feel like I have to clear up a few things here before I go on. Let me put it this way, my mother is one of the most important people in my life. Hell, she is the most important…. I love her and I would do just about anything to make her happy, especially now when her health had taken a turn for the worse…again... Ugh, I don't even wanna think about that right now…

Let's just say I had very good reasons for why I was so determined on making this her best birthday ever. Unfortunately, though, by the time I had worked out a full-fledged plan on how to accomplish that, the man I was supposed to keep an eye on had already disappeared completely out of sight.

"Get a grip Bella! Can't afford wasting valuable time staring at an empty hallway." I mentally scolded myself as I quickly bent down to pick up the various objects I had dropped in the collision. My hasty movements slowed down to a halt when I noticed that there was a man's wallet lying on the floor next to my padded camera bag.

"Oh don't even tell me that airhead dropped his wallet." I muttered as I bent down and picked it up. A quick peek at the driver's license inside it confirmed my suspicions.

I stood there for a moment debating on what to do. Part of me wished I could just take whatever cash I could find and split or at least leave the darn thing on the floor and pretend I never found it, but my conscience would never allow that. Sigh, sometimes I think I'm way to well mannered for my own good.

In the end the solution to my dilemma turned out to be quite simple. All I had to do was to take the wallet with me and drop it off at the reception desk at the entrance deck. Thanks to that little extra trip though I had to go through more than 40 minutes of frantic searching before I finally caught up with my mothers favorite athlete again.

This time he was in the spa section of the ship… soaking in a Jacuzzi... By the looks of things he was having a great time, relaxing with his right arm casually wrapped around the shoulder of the person next to him. Who just so happened to be a female, good looking of course; dark short spiky hair, fair skin and big blue eyes….

"Edward Cullen - God's gift to women! Ugh, yeah right!" I groaned to myself as I scanned the place looking for a clever hiding place. The hole spa area appeared to be an oasis of luxury decorated in tropical style, with features such as Jacuzzi, indoor pool, steam room, sauna and of course massage equipment. Within a few seconds I found exactly what I was looking for, an empty reclining chair, strategically placed behind some huge fern plants in a remote corner of the room. It was time for me to put that brilliant plan of mine to work...

I sat down and started unpacking my beloved camera bag, in which I had stuffed enough camera equipment to make any paparazzi jealous. With experienced hands I quickly selected my favorite tele lens and screwed it to the camera body. When everything was set, I peeked the trough the fern fronds, placed my itchy finger on the trigger and began my little secret photo session.

I had shot about twenty something pictures when my subject, the wet hockey player in the Jacuzzi, suddenly started moving out of focus. Without any advanced warning he hauled himself up and out of the water, giving me a pretty spectacular view of his Speedo-clad ass in the process.

I was so engrossed in the sight that I almost forgot about my "mission". Key phrase: ALMOST. I couldn't afford to let an opportunity like this to pass me by just because a certain someone filled out his skimpy Speedo swim trunks nicely. That only meant he was blessed with an interesting body to go along with his obnoxiousness, nothing else…. At least that's what I tried to convince myself as I turned my attention back to my camera in an attempt to take control over the situation again.

Snap, click, snap, click, snap, click….

"My mother is so gonna owe me big time for this." I decided as my camera went into overdrive.

What can I say, the camera loved him at first sight. He was charismatic almost to the point of absurdity, with his big dramatic gestures and exaggerated facial expressions. There was just something about the way he carried himself that made him extremely photogenic.

Like all good things, it all came to an end way too quickly. As soon as he had said his good-byes to the dark haired woman in the pool he grabbed a towel and disappeared in to the men's changing room. Those few intense minutes at the pool side though was enough for me to acquire a taste for this whole stalking business… So when he half an hour later, fully clothed, stepped out of the changing room again, I made the decision to keep spying on him. Yeah, yeah, horrible thing to do, but hell, I couldn't resist.

So for the next couple of hours, I secretly followed him around the ship. And watched him, patiently, as he took a nice long walk on the promenade deck, paid a visit to the shopping area, had lunch at "The Sea View Café" and lost a good amount of money in the casino. He was never alone, the woman from the spa always seemed to be around.

I did my best to blend in and avoid calling unwanted attention to myself. It seemed almost too easy. He must have spotted me a few times but I think he remained completely unaware of my camera. In spite of my hostile feelings towards him and his gigantic ego, I must say that I was thoroughly enjoying myself. This was much more exciting than watching northic seabirds and it truly kept me spell bound for hours.

The time just flew by and before I knew it, it was late afternoon and I had ran out of natural light to work with. I couldn't use a flash or any other kind of artificial lighting because that would have blown my cover. So instead I decided to head back to my suit and get a better look at the pictures I had taken this far.

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**Disclaimer**

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

I do not in any way profit from this story and that all creative rights to the Twilight characters belong to their original creator, Stephenie Meyer.

The plot line though is my own brainchild, so please don't steal it. I worked hard to come up with it! (Really, I did.)

No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Development**

_**-Development-**_

18.00 PM

I capture my images both on film and digitally because as old fashioned as it may sound I quite enjoy developing my own photographs in my own darkroom. Have you ever been in a darkroom? First of all the room must be lighttight. Boy, was I glad I had been given an inside suit with no windows. This way I could easily eliminate all light leaks with some black duct tape. I also had to changed the existing light bulb in the suit ceiling to one of those red 15-watt safelight bulbs.

Next step in my preparation was to line up all the necessary equipment in the bathroom. Which by the way definitely was a little on the small side. I placed my portable enlarger on the toilet seat and squeezed in the trays with chemicals on the floor and the rest of the stuff, digital timer, film tanks, film reel and scissors, on the shelf above the sink.

When everything was set up it was finally time to turn off the light and get started. The whole darkroom procedure is very time consuming. First you have to make negatives out of the exposed film and then you have to enlarge the negatives onto glossy photo papers. I don't want to bore you with details, so lets just say it's complicated and it requires a lot of patience…

In this case I guess the final result is far more interesting…. Well, the lighting could have been better, and to be honest it wasn't the most artistic work I have ever done with my camera... but still, most of the photos turned out reasonably well, if I may say so myself. And I was pretty sure that my mother would be pleased with what I had accomplished.

After I had examined the pictures carefully one final time I spread them to dry on the floor and started working on returning the suit to its original state, a task I couldn't get over with fast enough. It felt like I had spent an eternity stuck in that tiny bathroom already. I was pretty sure there were loads of more exciting things to do on a cruise ship of this size. Besides there are some pretty nasty chemicals involved in the film developing process and you can get quite a headache if you're not careful, so it was definitely time for a change of scenery.

"Keys, wallet, camera..." I glanced around the room once more as I went through the checklist in my mind and then headed for the door.

On my way out, I caught a glance of myself in the mirror and made a face at the pale-skinned girl that stared back at me. I didn't wear even a hint of make up, there were big dark circles under my tired brown eyes and my hair was, as usual, in an organized disarray.

Tired, overworked and stressed out. Let's just say I had waaay to many problems hanging over my head... The last six months had been hellish for me. Sure my professional life was finally where I wanted it to be, but my personal life was a mess. There had been a failure of a longtime relationship and then there was my mother's illness and last but not the least, the ever present threat of bankruptcy due to growing unpaid hospital bills…

However, this was neither the time nor the place to get all depressed thinking about it. This cruise ship was probably exactly what I needed; a chance to escape my problems and put all my worries aside for a while. The least I could do was to give it a try... Sighing softly, I brushed my fingers through my hair and tied it in a ponytail in a silly attempt to look at least half-decent before I left.

It was with a slightly more optimistic attitude I closed the door behind me and made my way down the empty hallway. And when I ten minutes later pushed through the wall of loud music and slowly entered, the Pirates Cove (the bar on 6th deck) I actually had a smile on my face. I couldn't help myself...Apparently it was Kareoke night and well, let's just say that the poor guy currently behind the microphone was having some problems with the high notes...

"Ooookay, I need a drink..." I thought to myself as I barely resisted the urge to cover my ears. Directly across from the entrance there was a huge bar counter trimmed with neon green lighting. I went up to the bartender and ordered a "Lennart", which apparently was Pear Cognac mixed with 7up.

I scanned the place as I climbed up on a bar stool. On my right side was a huge dance floor and on my left and extending to the long ends of the bar were a large number of tables. The interior was dark and noisy, but not very crowded, probably because of the rough sea.

Ever since we had left port the weather had been getting rougher. The ship had been reasonable stable during the day, but a small storm had blown up during the afternoon and the ship was now being tossed about the ocean making many of the passengers seasick. Even some of the crew was a little queasy … This didn't bother me much, though. Fortunately, I seemed to be immune to seasickness.

Two hours and a few drinks later I was still mingling in the bar. Thankfully the amateur singers were long gone. A DJ had been spinning the tunes for a good hour now. The strobe lights were flashing and the music was pounding.

Whenever a really good song came on I would occasionally hit the dance floor, but most of my evening was spent on the sideline observing the swaying crowd. For some reason I have always enjoyed watching people, an occupational habit I guess…

So anyway I was sipping on my drink and tapping my hand on the counter to the beat of the music when a sudden outburst of laughter caught my attention. Above the loud mixture of sounds, one sound stood out, that of the male with the ridiculously girly yet cocky laughter. I had heard that laughter before. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who it belonged to. I set my glass down and turned around, only to find a certain broze haired hockey player sitting in a crowded booth on the opposite side of the bar.

He must have felt me staring, because after a few seconds he turned around and looked directly at me. His face, slightly flushed from whatever he was drinking, showed absolutely no hint of recognition, but I still felt a bit uneasy. I squirmed on the bar stool and nervously fingered the leather strap to the camera bag I still carried over my shoulder. I never go anywhere without bringing at least one of my cameras, yet another strange occupational habit I can't seem to break. Sigh.

Edward however must have misread my anxiety for something else because he raised an eyebrow at me and grinned lasciviously. A slight smile was curving his full lips, clearly he was sure that no female could withstand his charm. Boy, was he wrong…

I barely resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him in a childish taunt. Instead I gave him an evil look that suggested he better not try anything funny with me. It seamed to work because he shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention back to his loud friends.

Smiling to myself I returned to my drink. A quick glance at the clock on the wall behind the bartender told me that it was getting late. I was beginning to grow tiresome of the bar scene so I decided to go check out the "Midnight buffet" and then head for my bunk. Gee, I'm such a party animal aren't I?

Anyway I was just about to pay my tab and leave when I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, put your money away, next drink is on me. That's the least I can do, I mean you are the girl who found my wallet, aren't you?"

I literally jumped out of my skin. Simultaneously, my heart rate shot up, the last gulp of my drink went down the wrong way and my camera bag fell from my shoulder and landed on the floor with a thud.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, are you alright?"

Coughing I tried to regain my composure. "Whoa, what the- How did you-I mean you shouldn't-ugh!"

"You probably want to pick one sentence and go with it…,"he offered with another one of those annoying smirks on his face.

"Oh, I'm Edward Cullen, the by the way… but something tells me you already figured that out," he added with wry chuckle and extended his hand for me to shake.

"Uhm, yeah, the contents of your wallet kind of gave that away," I said and quickly pulled my hand away from his. Something about touching him got to me in a way I could not explain...

"You're that hockey player, right?"

"Yeah, that's me," he nodded. "What about you? Are you going to tell me your name, or do I have to guess?"

"Sorry… I'm Bella, but how did you know it was me wh-…"

"Who found the wallet?," he said cutting me off mid sentence. "You fit the description I got at the reception desk. They wouldn't give me your name, but they told me what you looked like. So I figured it must have been the girl I ran into earlier," he explained as he pulled up a barstool next to me.

"So tell me did you find anything interesting?," he asked as he sat down and made himself comfortable.

"Huh?" Still lost in thought I stared at him blankly, not quite sure what he was on about.

"Uhm, in this I mean...," he quickly added and patted the wallet sticking out of the back pocket of his jeans.

"Ooh, no, not really….Hey, I didn't steal anything if that's what you are implying and I didn't find anything worth blackmailing you over either, so why don't you just relax…"

"Phew that's a relief," Edward laughed and pretended to wipe his forehead. "Seriously though, it wasn't an accusation and I didn't mean to sound ungrateful or anything… I'm really glad I got it back, with everything still inside and all. It was really nice of you to return it. Thank you!" He paused and made a quick bow before he continued. "But I have a favor to ask… Whatever information you might have stumbled across when you looked through my wallet, interesting or not, is personal and I don't want it to end up in the papers or on the internet or anything. So, could you please keep it to yourself. "

"Don't worry Edward, Your secrets are safe with me. I mean I can totally understand why you don't want people to know about all those condoms you carry around with you. Glow-n-dark AND strawberry flavored, that's wicked… And the size, extra large…hmm… impressive…," I winked, and got the pleasure of seeing him blush.

"Heh, those are birthday gifts from a uhm close friend…Not that that's any of your business…. Actually, I was thinking more in the line of information like my address and phone number and stuff like that you know…"

"Yeah, I know. I was just playing with ya! Lovely shade of red there Edward. It becomes you!," I teased with a smile.

"Ha, haa, very funny… I suppose I deserved that, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did. You had it coming big time," I nodded with a smirk. "Maybe we should call it a quits now that we are even. This little conversation was… uhm… interesting and all but I need to get going and you should probably return to your friends before they send out a search party for you…," I suggested and slid off the barstool.

"Okay, I can take a hint. I just wanted to come over here and thank you in person. But I can tell that you have other plans so I'll just leave you to it," he said as he followed suit and got to his feet as well. "Have a nice evening!," he added and winked at me before he swirled around and quickly took off through the semi crowded bar.

Talk about hasty retreat, but at least this time I got the last laugh… I gazed after his disappearing figure with an amused smile on my face, feeling fairly certain that this was the very last I would see of Edward Cullen…

Of course, I soon found out I couldn't have been more wrong! Let's just say that fate had other plans...

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AN: So should I continue this? Let me know what you think...


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Turbulent Waters**

**-Turbulent Waters-**

_01.00 AM_

After attending the Midnight buffet I somehow ended up wandering aimlessly around the ship. It was really late, or early, depending on how you look at it. Not too many of the passengers were up and about at this hour. The rough weather hadn't improved at all. The waves were frequent and strong, making every single step a struggle, but after all the delicious food I had feasted upon I figured I could use the extra exercise….

Ok, the truth -the only reason I was still awake was because I was having some difficulties finding my way back to the right suit…. I swear, all the hallways looked the same and my weakness for pear cognac wasn't helping my sense of direction either…

After a good half an hour of searching I finally decided I was lost and began to look for someone to ask for directions… And that's when I bumped in to Mr. Olympic Champion again… Well, not literally this time… I don't think he even noticed me because I was facing the wall, studying a giant map over the ship, when he walked by.

I caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of my eye. Suddenly I felt wide-awake and super alert again. My original plan (to find my bunk and get some sleep) was soon forgotten… Sleep was definitely the last thing on my mind. Not only did Edward appear to be on his own for a change, but his wobbly legs and irregular walking pattern also indicated that he was more than a little inebriated.

My mind immediately started racing…. A celebrity drunk in public, was a temptation the photographer in me could not resist. I waited one… two… three…. seconds before I got on my feet and took off after him. Grabbing a better hold of my camera bag, I followed him as he slowly padded down the hallway.

At one point he slowed down and glanced over his shoulder as if he knew he was being watched. With quickening pulse (and silent prayers) I leaped back and hid behind an open door. I waited in agony but nothing happened. Several seconds passed and I was just about to go into full fledge panic mode when the sound of echoing footsteps finally reappeared. He was walking again, much slower than before, but he was definitely moving down the hallway again.

Sighing in relief I made a mental note to be more careful in the future. "Phew, that was close" I thought to myself as I took up the chase again. Little did I know that this was only the beginning…

I was in for a big surprise as I moments later rounded yet another corner of the seemingly endless maze of hallways. The unexpected sight that met me was enough to make me pull up in shock. Something was blocking my way… Something BIG. ...

A feeling of dejavu swept over me as I realized that I was once again face to face with Edward Cullen. Only this time there was no collusion… This time he was leaning against the wall waiting for me. And his tense yet nonchalant appearance gave me reason to believe that he already knew someone had been spying on him.

As to confirm my suspicions he cleared his throat and began to speak. "Well, well, well…Fancy meeting you here. Are you by any chance stalking me?," his voice was steady and controlled and suddenly he didn't seem all that drunk anymore. In fact he seemed very focused and very alert, almost like a predator waiting for it's prey… Ouch…

"What? Are you talking to me?," I choked in reply, knowing all too well that he was. He answered by rolling his eyes at me. Ok, so maybe that wasn't the smartest thing to say when there where no one else in sight but I needed to buy some time. Because if he figured out the truth, that I indeed had been stalking him (all day long, with a camera) he'd be pissed to say the least.

I needed a good excuse and I needed it fast...

"Look, don't flatter you're self, okay! I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about," I said and discretely slung my camera behind my back, hoping he wouldn't notice it.

"The only reason I'm here is because my suit is right over there," I lied and I pointed at one of the doors further down the hallway. Unfortunately I don't think he bought that story for a second though, because he just laughed derisively at me…

"How coincidental…so is mine!," he grinned and held out a key-card in front of me. Go figure, the number on the door I had been gesturing at and the number on his key card matched! Of all the hundreds of suit doors on this ship, I had to pick his... Why I was surprised by this I do not know. I mean, luck has never exactly been kind to me.

"I don't know what you're up to Bella and quite frankly I don't think I want to know…. Just tell me one thing though… -Why are you doing this? I mean you don't even seem to like me," Edward said, eyeing me with sudden suspicion.

"Why I'm doing this? That's a really good question," I stalled, nervously biting my lip. Telling him the whole truth was out of the question. But if I stayed as close to the truth as possible then maybe, just maybe he would buy it…RIGHT? I decided it was worth a shot and started telling him about my mother and her upcoming birthday and how a pho-… err, an autograph from him would make the perfect gift.

I began my little ramble of excuses with every intent on finishing it, but my words evaporated the moment I realized that he wasn't listening to me anymore. I had a feeling his short attention span had something to do with his pale face. All color had drained from him and he looked like he was about to faint or something. Swaying on his feet he reached blindly for the first support he could find - my shoulder. Seconds later he doubled over, clenching his stomach, acting as if he was about to puke his beer all over the place.

I frowned, puzzled by his behavior. Then I had a sudden flash of comprehension. His wobbly legs and pale look wasn't just a result of his alcohol consumption… He was seasick. That would explain why his face was turning greener and greener with every movement the ship made. And by the looks of things it was just a matter of time before his stomach would be rolling worse than the sea.

"Oh gawd, I don't feel so good," he groaned and put the back of his hand to his mouth as the urge to vomit threatened to overwhelm him.

"Oh no, not on me you don't," I said, instinctively taking a step back, but the minute I moved away, his legs started wobbling again. Luckily my reflexes were fast enough to steady him before he went down onto his knees. He clung to me like a drowning man grasping for a lifeline. Wrapping my arm around his waist, I slowly began walking him to his suit.

He wasn't able to co-operate much at that point so I ended up practically dragging him across the hallway. It was like maneuvering around with a rag doll, a very heavy rag doll, but somehow we eventually, after what seamed like an eternity, reached his door.

Digging through his pockets for the key card with one hand and keeping him propped up against the wall with another was not an easy task either as you can imagine. When I finally managed to get the door unlocked, I had to hold it open with my foot so that I could use my free hand to search for the light switch.. We are talking balance skills on a high level here. What a sight it must have been…

Anyway the moment the light came on Edward jerked out of my grip and made a dash for the bathroom. Apparently he was quickly losing the battle with his stomach because seconds later I heard him emptying the contents of his stomach into the toilet bowl in a violent, gushing vomit.

There was a long pause of awkward silence and then I heard the sound of the toilet being flushed. I took a few steps into the room and hesitantly peered through the crack of the bathroom door, just to find him kneeling on the floor with his head resting against the porcelain of the toilet tank. I watched him for a moment, nervous, uncertain what to do. I was pretty sure he didn't really want me, a complete stranger, around when he was sick, but on the other hand I couldn't just leave without first making sure that he was all right.

I cleared my throat to get his attention. "You okay? Need help?"

He jerked his head up and glared at me, eyes squinting in the fluorescent lighting.

"Do I look okay to you?," came the gruff reply.

I laughed quietly at my stupidity.

"Sorry, you're right that was a dumb question…. Here, let me help you," I quickly entered the bathroom, picked up a plastic cup by the sink and ran some water into it. Once it was filled I handed it to Edward.

"Thanks," he whispered weakly before taking a few sips of the liquid. His stomach gurgled like bad plumbing, but decided not to reject the water that was offered. Sighing with relief, he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.

"Just let me know if there is there anything else I can do for you, okay?" I said as I reached over him to turn off the faucet.

"Ehmm, no, I think I'm just gonna stay in here for awhile…" Drawing himself up a little straighter, he added weakly, "You don't have to stick around, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?," I asked, trying my best to hide the relief I felt. He merely nodded halfheartedly in reply, but that was all it took to convince me. I couldn't get out of there fast enough…

"Okay then, take care of yourself Edward…Bye, Bye…" I said and attempted a sympathetic smile before I quickly turned around and walked out of there.

And that could have been the end of this story, but I should have known my conscience wouldn't let me off that easily… I mean leaving the poor man collapsed on the bathroom floor, what was I thinking…

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_**AN: FF Give up some comments, yeah? I crave them.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Good Samaritan**

**-Good Samaritan-**

_**02.30 AM**_

I made it into my own bunk by 02.30, (yes, I eventually found someone that could point me in the right direction) and quickly lapsed into bed. But my slumber was restless and it didn't take long before I was wide-awake again…. I couldn't tune out the storm raging outside… and I couldn't tune out that annoying inner voice of mine that kept on bugging me… .

I shouldn't have left things with Edward the way I had. Something was wrong, I just knew it… After 30 minutes of staring at the ceiling I gave up. Finally accepting that sleep was impossible, I got out of bed, threw some clothes on and left to go check on him.

"This is insane, Bella. You don't know him well enough to worry about him. You don't even like him. Just turn around and go back to bed. NOW!" I repeated to myself over and over again but it wasn't working, before I knew it, I had found my way back to the place where I had last seen the seasick hockey player.

I knocked on the door, once, twice, three times and waited… No answer... I knocked again, still nothing. I placed my hand on the door handle to see if just maybe it was unlocked. To my surprise the door immediately swung open and banged against the inner wall.

I stepped inside and looked around the semi dark suit, which at first appeared to be empty. But then I caught a glimpse of Edward and what I saw made me concerned. There he was, still in the bathroom, curled up in a fetal position on the floor. He was pale and shivering and certainly not looking like much of a champion.

This time I crossed the threshold into the bathroom with no hesitation at all. I tried to think of something appropriate to say as I knelt down next to him, but nothing seemed fitting. So instead I reached out and ran my hand up and down his shoulder just to make sure he knew I was there.

He flinched, and his eyes flew open. Embarrassment stopped him from looking directly at me, but I could tell that there were tears stinging his eyes as his body started shaking with new convulsions.

I saw him struggle to get up and I helped him to a sitting position. Not knowing what else to do, I silently moved closer and began rubbing his back softly, comforting him like a child. We sat like that for a good while, side by side in the quiet darkness of the bathroom.

I tried to talk to him but I didn't get much response. He merely stared distantly at some imaginary spot on the wall across the room and absent-mindedly rocked himself back and forth. Eventually he calmed down a bit and the shudders subsided only to be replaced by other more restless movements.

We had been sitting on that floor for ages now and staying in the same position for a long time keeps your blood from circulating. The result? Discomfort and pain... Believe me I was just as eager as he was to get out of that smelly bathroom. First thing first though…

I slowly got up and wetted a thin, rough towel with some warm water and then gently began to wipe his hands and his face off. The experience of helping him blowing his nose left me with a sudden scary vision what parenthood must feel like, but I quickly shrugged it off and went ahead with the task of getting his teeth brushed. Edward didn't say much during this whole event. He just nodded his head slightly every now and then stared at me with tired watery eyes.

Once he was all cleaned up I managed to pull him up to his feet. Weak and shaking, he let me strip off his boots and his clothes, until he was left with nothing but his boxers. Okay, I confess my eyes might have lingered over the muscles of his abdomen just a bit longer than they should have as I maneuvered him over to the bed, but hey I'm only human….

As I helped him settle down between the sheets, I found myself once again struggling with the decision of staying or leaving. Deep down though, I knew I didn't really have much of a choice this time. With all the bad luck I had been having lately, he'd probably get sick again and die choking on his own vomits if I left him unsupervised. Besides, it's not like I didn't know how to deal with sick people. This was a situation I was all too familiar with. God knows I have had spent way too many hours in hospital with my mother trough out the years.

Once my mind was made up there was no more hesitation. Slipping out of my oversized sweater and baggy jeans I grabbed a pillow and curled up in the empty side of the bed. Closing my eyes I made myself comfortable for the night and let the howling winds and turbulent waters to rock me to sleep...

And that is pretty much it, that's how I ended up in bed with the NHL star Edward Cullen, but of course the story doesn't end here…


End file.
